How hot is too hot?
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 567
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From: Tennessee Tech
How hot is too hot? Still having trouble getting the coolant temps down, and i've heard mixed reviews on how hot these things should get with a front mount setup, so what is the typical range and when should i absolutely stop driving it?
Its still stock radiator and VDO pusher fans; when I drove it after the fan install i let it warm up on idle and it got to 208* and slowly crept up to 212* cruising around, as soon as i got into the pedal a couple times the temp climbed to 225* at which point I pulled over and let it cool.
I still need to install the deflector under the nose that directs the air to the radiator, completely forgot to do this, also have to put the turbo blanket on that just came in, and i'll probably end up putting the fans on the turbo side and making them puller. Problem is the car is now 200 miles away from me getting finished by a friend for lsfest, should i go ahead and order a dual pass radiator or hope the above is the fix?
Its still stock radiator and VDO pusher fans; when I drove it after the fan install i let it warm up on idle and it got to 208* and slowly crept up to 212* cruising around, as soon as i got into the pedal a couple times the temp climbed to 225* at which point I pulled over and let it cool.
I still need to install the deflector under the nose that directs the air to the radiator, completely forgot to do this, also have to put the turbo blanket on that just came in, and i'll probably end up putting the fans on the turbo side and making them puller. Problem is the car is now 200 miles away from me getting finished by a friend for lsfest, should i go ahead and order a dual pass radiator or hope the above is the fix?
im looking at a stock tune file right now
fan 1 on temp is 226
fan 2 on temp is 234
so i prefer myself not be out beating on the car if its over 200 but it looks like if your stuck in traffic or something you should be ok till 235 or at least the factory thinks so
fan 1 on temp is 226
fan 2 on temp is 234
so i prefer myself not be out beating on the car if its over 200 but it looks like if your stuck in traffic or something you should be ok till 235 or at least the factory thinks so
You sure trip black?
Not saying the stock fans don't turn on at that, but my car for instance...fans cut on around 170 and 180. My car cruising will never be over 180. In heavy heavy stop and go I've never seen it go over 190-200. Even hot lapping it at the track it won't go over 200. I do have a vertical griffin
Not saying the stock fans don't turn on at that, but my car for instance...fans cut on around 170 and 180. My car cruising will never be over 180. In heavy heavy stop and go I've never seen it go over 190-200. Even hot lapping it at the track it won't go over 200. I do have a vertical griffin
Stock is 226 low 234 hi for fans. Of course lots of turbo heat right by the radiator is kinda gona heat it up more, especially in boost. Honestly I think 200-15 is a good range, but 230 is a little hot. Factory settings arent for a front mount turbo car either haha.
I say we put the deflector on, put blanket on, and heat wrap the hotside pipes since the manis are already wrapped, and I dont see why itd get hot anymore. Troys hotside is wrapped and no blanket and it runs in the 215 range hot
I say we put the deflector on, put blanket on, and heat wrap the hotside pipes since the manis are already wrapped, and I dont see why itd get hot anymore. Troys hotside is wrapped and no blanket and it runs in the 215 range hot
You sure trip black?
Not saying the stock fans don't turn on at that, but my car for instance...fans cut on around 170 and 180. My car cruising will never be over 180. In heavy heavy stop and go I've never seen it go over 190-200. Even hot lapping it at the track it won't go over 200. I do have a vertical griffin
Not saying the stock fans don't turn on at that, but my car for instance...fans cut on around 170 and 180. My car cruising will never be over 180. In heavy heavy stop and go I've never seen it go over 190-200. Even hot lapping it at the track it won't go over 200. I do have a vertical griffin
i would definitely not be going wot or making passes at anything above 200
Yea I wouldn't either. Are both you guy's hotsides wrapped and do you have a turbo blanket on your hotside?
My manifolds, primaries, and crossovers are all wrapped along with having a turbo blanket on my hotside. I'm sure that helps a lot.
My manifolds, primaries, and crossovers are all wrapped along with having a turbo blanket on my hotside. I'm sure that helps a lot.
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TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 700
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From: Utah
I am in the same boat as you. My temps were 230* on the dyno...too hot for my taste. Like you, I have a 160* t-stat, so my only suggestion is swapping out your fan(s). I know I will be this winter.
i have a vertical griffin as well
everything on mine is turbox coated and dei titanium wrapped and i have their titanium turbo blanket
mine gets to about 220 when im stuck in traffic (stop and go around town) on hot days but it also gets 110+ outside where i live
im looking to get a better pusher fan to take care of that, i have a cheapy right now and im sure thats the problem
my car normally says around 180 otherwise, even when doing long roll races on the fwy or canyon runs
everything on mine is turbox coated and dei titanium wrapped and i have their titanium turbo blanket
mine gets to about 220 when im stuck in traffic (stop and go around town) on hot days but it also gets 110+ outside where i live
im looking to get a better pusher fan to take care of that, i have a cheapy right now and im sure thats the problem
my car normally says around 180 otherwise, even when doing long roll races on the fwy or canyon runs
This is interesting, i was starting to freak out just a touch if mine ever got up to 205.
Seems now that ive got my air out real good, turbo up front, i cruise 195-197 no matter what the temp is outside. Hard runs stop and go, ive seen it go up to 201 never been higher then that and i like it that way. Also, this is on a stock thermostat.
I had better luck with controlling temp with the stock stat then i did with the 160 with this motor. The ls1 liked it the other way.
This is with a griffen rad, and iron block.
Seems now that ive got my air out real good, turbo up front, i cruise 195-197 no matter what the temp is outside. Hard runs stop and go, ive seen it go up to 201 never been higher then that and i like it that way. Also, this is on a stock thermostat.
I had better luck with controlling temp with the stock stat then i did with the 160 with this motor. The ls1 liked it the other way.
This is with a griffen rad, and iron block.
I try not to blast it when the engine temps are over 225 but i am almost always over 200 on the streets during summer months so blasting at 200 - 220 is not an issue at all for my taste. Zero KR! Running an iron block also.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 700
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From: Utah
Not to 
, but what is your temp gauge (stock) reading? I've noticed that mine does not move above 210*....stays right below that, even if the car is around 220-230* WTF? Do these gauges not work for crap?
, but what is your temp gauge (stock) reading? I've noticed that mine does not move above 210*....stays right below that, even if the car is around 220-230* WTF? Do these gauges not work for crap? 
The stock gauge is a dummy gauge and won't move up till it sees a temperature for a long period of time. I was reading 235 on hp tuners and the gauge was at 200. Then after about 5 minutes it moved up a little. If anyone in this thread is not using a scan tool to read the temperature then their analysis is wrong. If they are going by the stock in dash gauge then you can throw out what they are saying. I also think a 160 stat is a mistake. I have experimented and would stay with a stock 187 stat. A 160 opens early and stays open all the time. The radiator cannot keep the car at that temperature. I would run a stock 187. It will open and close when needed where a 160 just opens and thats it. I didn't catch what trans was in the car, but if its a 3 speed the car will run hotter too because of the rpms that the car is seeing. I learned this with my old camaro with a th350 and my ta with a th400. I am doing an 80 swap not to get the cruising rpm's down. It makes for a happier motor.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 700
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From: Utah
The stock gauge is a dummy gauge and won't move up till it sees a temperature for a long period of time. I was reading 235 on hp tuners and the gauge was at 200. Then after about 5 minutes it moved up a little. If anyone in this thread is not using a scan tool to read the temperature then their analysis is wrong. If they are going by the stock in dash gauge then you can throw out what they are saying. I also think a 160 stat is a mistake. I have experimented and would stay with a stock 187 stat. A 160 opens early and stays open all the time. The radiator cannot keep the car at that temperature. I would run a stock 187. It will open and close when needed where a 160 just opens and thats it. I didn't catch what trans was in the car, but if its a 3 speed the car will run hotter too because of the rpms that the car is seeing. I learned this with my old camaro with a th350 and my ta with a th400. I am doing an 80 swap not to get the cruising rpm's down. It makes for a happier motor.
It is a well known issue that the 2000-2002 cars temp gauges only have 5 positions. Nothing in between.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 700
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From: Utah
Both my vehicles would consistently run in the 220* range and 230*+ in traffic. They had high dollar fans on them(2 pullers each). Switched both of them over to shrouded dual fans and now I see 180* cruising and never over 199* in traffic on a 99* day. They both have completely wrapped hot sides, turbo blankets and a 3" intercooler covering the whole radiator.
Damn time for more gauges, I'm using stock gauge for water temp. Even then I still haven't ever seen my needle get vertical on the gauge(12'o clock) it is either at 160 or 180 (10-11 posistion).
Now where in the hell am I going to mount this thing
Now where in the hell am I going to mount this thing
Thread Starter
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 567
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From: Tennessee Tech
Thanks for all the input.
I'm running a th350 so the rpm's are up there, but even just cruising around under 3k it got hot. Atleast i'm not the only one, looks like i need to look into a stock stat and i'll definitly be swithching the pushers to pullers on the opposite side, I think this will help keep alot of the heat coming from the engine away from the radiator and help the airflow while driving down the street. Since they're low profile they should fit if i move the radiator up next to the core support, I guess we'll see. If I have to end up cutting the core support out to make room this weekend then we'll just have to make it happen.
I have a tuning laptop that stays in the car for data logging at all times while driving with this setup, I never would have known their was an issue otherwise; temp gauge stays below 210 the whole time.
I'm running a th350 so the rpm's are up there, but even just cruising around under 3k it got hot. Atleast i'm not the only one, looks like i need to look into a stock stat and i'll definitly be swithching the pushers to pullers on the opposite side, I think this will help keep alot of the heat coming from the engine away from the radiator and help the airflow while driving down the street. Since they're low profile they should fit if i move the radiator up next to the core support, I guess we'll see. If I have to end up cutting the core support out to make room this weekend then we'll just have to make it happen.
I have a tuning laptop that stays in the car for data logging at all times while driving with this setup, I never would have known their was an issue otherwise; temp gauge stays below 210 the whole time.